House in Savièse By Anako Architecture
- Words
- Sarah Press
Located in the Swiss town of Savièse, the concrete family house steps down the side of a hill, offering a wonderful view over the nearby mountains. Local studio Anako Architecture designed this property for a gently sloping plot that suffers from a tight overlook with the neighboring detached villas.
To avoid direct relation with the surrounding properties, blind walls of raw concrete border the site and define the facade of the house. Appearing as a monolithic volume, the residence is divided into three stepped half levels that accommodate the entry, the daytime living spaces and the bedrooms. Arranged around three open-air patios, these spaces act as interior gardens, providing a connection between internal and external spaces. On the uppermost level, a master bedroom is flanked by full-height windows that overlook the first of the patios. The external concrete surfaces were cast using rough formwork that provided a textured finish to contrast with the pristine white walls of the interior. On the next level, the kitchen and lounge area encircle a decked patio. Around the tops of each glazed garden patio, the concrete structure of the roof shapes a strong frame for the views across the mountains.
All images © Nicolas Sedlatchek